The primary election is May 5, but it’s never too early to start making your voting plan, especially if you aren’t sure if you are registered.
Whether you feel like you’re prepared or haven’t even thought about it yet, this guide is here to break down how, where and when you’ll be able to vote in Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
Below is a list of the key dates coming up ahead of the primary election and into the general election in November so that you can have your voting plan ready to go.
Click here to find out who will be on the ballot for Hamilton County voters.
What’s a primary?
The current closest elections are the party primaries. These are when two members of the same party compete to see who will move on to the later general elections in November.
Right now
If you are already registered to vote, you can currently fill out and submit a request for an absentee ballot. Once the request is made, you’ll still have to wait until April 7 to send in your ballot.
Click here to find out if you are currently registered to vote. To update your voter registration, click here.
These requests must be received by 8:30 p.m. on April 28, so try to get them in the mail at least a week ahead of time.
March 20: Absentee process begins for overseas voters
Military members and U.S. citizens in foreign countries begin the absentee process on March 20, so that their ballots are able to get back to the country in time.
If you fit the description above, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office has specialized absentee request forms available here.
April 6: Deadline to register to vote
April 6 is the official deadline to register to vote in the May 5 primary elections.
There are three ways to register to vote:
Online
You can register online at voteohio.gov, but only if you have an Ohio driver’s license or Ohio state identification card. If you don’t have one, you will have to register in person.
You also need to provide the last four digits of your social security number if you vote online.
By Mail
Download a voter registration form at votehamiltoncountyohio.gov/register.
Pick one up in person at the board of elections at 4700 Smith Road in Cincinnati.
Or you can have one mailed to you by calling 513-946-8500.
In person
You can get a voter registration form and submit the form at any of the following locations:
- The Hamilton County Board of Elections, 4700 Smith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45212
- The office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
- Public libraries
- Public high schools or vocational schools
- County treasurer’s offices
- The office of the Secretary of State
- The office of any of the 88 county boards of elections
- Offices of designated agencies, including:
- The Department of Job and Family Services;
- The Department of Health (including the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program);
- The Department of Mental Health;
- The Department of Developmental Disabilities;
- Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities; or
- The office of any state-assisted college or university responsible for providing assistance to disabled students
If you are physically unable to deliver your voter registration, you can provide it to an entrusted person to be delivered to the county board of elections within 10 days of completion or by the registration deadline.
These are the requirements to register to vote:
- You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violating the election laws
- You are a citizen of the United States
- You will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the next general election
- You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote
- You are not incarcerated (in prison or jail) for a felony conviction
- You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court
April 7: Early voting starts
Early voting in Ohio begins the day after the registration deadline.
To cast a ballot early starting April 7, go to the Hamilton County Board of Elections office at 4700 Smith Road in Cincinnati.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through April 24.
On Monday, April 27, the office will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, April 28, the office is open for an additional hour, from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Hours go back to 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the remainder of that week, April 29-May 1.
The office is open the weekend before the election:
On Saturday, May 2, voters have from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to cast their ballots in person.
Sunday, May 2, those hours are from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Absentee ballots:
If you need to fill out an absentee ballot, the request form must be received by April 28, meaning you should try to get it mailed out at least a week in advance (that means, if you’re reading this in our print edition, you don’t have much time left!).
Download the form to request an absentee ballot below.
Other ways to get an absentee ballot request form:
- Any Hamilton County Public Library
- Call the board of elections at 513-946-8544 or 513-946-8539
- Pick up a copy at the board of elections office at 4700 Smith Road in Cincinnati
Absentee ballots will start being sent out on April 7.
April 28: Absentee request form deadline
This is the deadline for the board of elections to have received your absentee ballot request.
Completed absentee ballots must be dropped off in person on Election Day by 7:30 p.m.
May 5: Primary Election Day
The big day! Polling locations will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Not sure where your polling location is? Click here to find out.
All absentee ballots that haven’t been mailed in should be delivered directly to the Board of Elections office at 4700 Smith Road in Cincinnati.
After the primaries conclude on May 5, the newly elected candidates start campaigning against each other in the lead up to the general elections.
There are some interesting state and national races, like a special election for J.D. Vance’s Senate seat, and local races that will determine everything from your tax bill to zoning laws that regulate what you can build on your property.
Here are the dates to watch out for heading into the General Election:
Sept. 18: Overseas voters can send in ballots
U.S. citizens abroad can start sending in their absentee ballots for the general election on Sept. 18.
Note that for those filing absentee requests, if you intend to vote in the Nov. 3 general elections and the Nov. 3 special election, you have to file two separate absentee requests for each election.
Oct. 5: Registration deadline
The deadline to register to vote for the general and special election is Oct. 5.
Click here to find out if you are currently registered to vote. To update your voter registration, click here.
Oct. 6: Early voting begins
Early voting begins on Oct. 6, the day after the registration deadline.
Early voting can be done at the Board of Elections office from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Absentee ballots will also be sent out to those who registered for them starting Oct. 6.
Oct. 27: Absentee ballot request form
Oct. 27 is the deadline for absentee requests, which must be received by the Board of Elections by 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 3: General Election Day
Election day commences (again!).
General Election Day!
Absentee ballots must be dropped at the Hamilton County Board of Elections drop box by 7:30 p.m.